Issue 01-14-2019

MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. is hitting the bullseye. Target headed into the 2018 holiday season bolstered by a strong third quarter performance that included a 5.1% increase in comparable sales, a 49% gain in digital channel sales and a 5.3% increase in customer traffic. Total revenue for the three months ended November 3 was $17.8

When Jeff Owen was named executive vice president of store operations at Dollar General in June 2015, he hit the ground running. He quickly developed a vision focused on elevating talent, building an execution machine and upgrading the customer experience. Now, three years later, Owen’s vision remains the same, although he is constantly developing new

BOISE, Idaho — Bob Miller brought another chapter in his storied retailing career to a close last September when he stepped down as chief executive officer of Albertsons Cos. Asked how closely Jim Donald, his successor at the food, health and wellness retail store operator, would follow his example, Miller said, “He’s got to have

NEW YORK — Robust holiday shopping from before Thanksgiving through Christmas has raised hopes for continued strength in the retail sector. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales increased 5.1% to more than $850 billion — the strongest growth in six years. And online shopping jumped 19.1%, with Amazon reporting record-breaking results. “While we recognize the

NEW YORK — The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index decreased in December, following a modest decline in November. The Index now stands at 128.1 (1985=100), down from 136.4 in November. The Present Situation Index — based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — declined slightly, from 172.7 to 171.6. The Expectations

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Last month Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) announced three global leadership appointments. Vineet Mehra is joining WBA as global chief marketing officer. He will be based at corporate headquarters here and will report to WBA co-chief operating officers Ornella Barra and Alex Gourlay. As global CMO, Mehra will be responsible for the visioning,

EMERYVILLE, Calif. — Last month, Grocery Outlet Bargain Market’s board of directors appointed Eric Lindberg chief executive officer and MacGregor Read vice chairman, effective January 1. Lindberg and Read previously held the positions of co-CEOs. Lindberg joined Grocery Outlet in 1996 and began his tenure in operations before advancing through positions in retail marketing and

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Last month, CVS Health announced that MinuteClinic rolled out its new virtual health care offering to people in Wyoming and New Mexico. Residents with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions and other wellness needs in those states can now seek care through MinuteClinic Video Visits, a telehealth offering. MinuteClinic Video Visits provide

CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. has announced a succession plan for chief financial officer Mike Schlotman. Schlotman, Kroger’s CFO since 2000, has decided to retire from the company at the end of 2019. The succession plan calls for him to continue in his current role through the end of Kroger’s fiscal year on February 2, and

WASHINGTON — Hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) is poised to move further into the mainstream in 2019 after Congress renewed the U.S. Farm Bill last month and President Trump signed the legislation into law. The legislation, which charts a course for federal farm policy and funds programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, also removed industrial hemp

WARREN, N.J. — Pfizer Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) have entered into an agreement that will create a premier global consumer health care company with robust iconic brands. The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction under which Pfizer will contribute its consumer health care business to GSK’s existing consumer health

The just concluded holiday selling season was a good one for most retailers. Ample anecdotal evidence of strong consumer demand was confirmed shortly after Christmas in a report issued by Mastercard. Based on tracking of retail activity within the credit card company’s network, supplemented with survey-based projections for such forms of payment as cash and